Teaching:
I committed to Logos School on May 30th, with 3 weeks remaining in the school year. In those three weeks, my AP students finished a chapter book that I love and translated a number of popular German songs into English. On June 9, their last day of normal classes, I sent them off into the world to soar and reach for the stars and be all they could be.
Meanwhile, underclassmen had another week and a half. My German II students cheered with me when I told them we were done learning new material: I had crammed so many chapters into their poor brains since December. They and German IV both got to watch a movie in German (with subtitles), having finished the year review with a few days to spare. One class even got to play Blind Soccer during finals week, where coaches instructed their blindfolded teammates in German with directions like “Nach links! Schiess den Ball!” (To the left! Shoot the ball!) I stole this game from Mr. Hindman, my mentor teacher, because it is hilarious to watch.
Friends:
Eric and Ruth after the rigged bouquet/garter toss at Sean & Hillary's wedding
The K-House has been abuzz all semester in anticipation of not one but TWO weddings: my housemate Sean to Hillary on June 14, and Hillary’s roommate/my good friend Ruth to Eric on June 21. They were even in each other’s wedding parties. Both were lovely and included 4-part harmony in Mennonite hymns, plenty of laughter, some dear friends no longer in State College, and dancing to this song. Ruth and Eric’s wedding was a sweet way to say goodbye to many people. Back in Doylestown in the last week, I’ve enjoyed an old-fashioned frolic at Lake Galena with friends from way back, girl time at home (the boys were gone last week), and…brace yourselves…two movie theater trips in one weekend! (My first two of 2009.)
Appointments and Errands:
I’ve had 3 doctors’ appointments: a regular physical, eye care, and a travel clinic. At the travel clinic, I learned ways to avoid fun stuff like typhoid (a shot), dengue fever (wear bug spray), and parasites (don’t eat the salad). I have 3 prescriptions to fill, but am weighing the benefits of super-cheap drugs there of *mostly* decent quality. I’m delighted that Phnom Penh is malaria-free, unlike anywhere else in Cambodia.
I realized early last month that my passport had conveniently vanished. After one personal day, $200, a trip to Philadelphia, and an urgent phone call to Cambodia, I have a replacement – and even a visa to go with it.
I have a plane ticket! It’s just over $2000 (thankfully Logos will reimburse me), incorporates stops in Detroit and Tokyo, covers 3 meals, and even includes a free overnight stay in the Hong Kong airport. So much fun packed into a brief 37 hours!
Books:
I decided that reading was one of the best ways to prepare for Cambodia. I’m trying to read books about Cambodia, books about teaching English, books about living overseas, and the books that I’ll be teaching this fall. There’s no way I can get through my whole reading list, but I’m giving it my best shot.
What I’ve read in the past month:
First They Killed My Father – poignant and majorly disturbing true story from the Khmer Rouge era. I’ll include some quotes in a separate post.
Paradise Lost – after 3 pages, I stopped reading and concluded that there is no way I’m teaching that book this year. If this book is paradise, then I guess it’s my loss... (sorry!)
Killing Fields, Living Fields – a detailed history of the Cambodian church. I’m taking notes on it because I found it overwhelming at first, but it brings together nicely the spiritual developments in individual Cambodians and the political developments in the greater society.
Till They Have Faces – C.S. Lewis merges a number of mythic figures in this tale of beauty and love, inspiring me to look up Psyche and Iphigenia and Antigone. I’m not finished, but already excited to teach this alongside Greek mythology in eighth grade.
My Sister’s Keeper – OK, so this one is unrelated to Cambodia. But Julia loves it, and since it just came out as a movie, my mom and I rushed to read it before seeing it Sunday night with her and some friends. It’s a sobering portrait of lives intertwined with a cancer sufferer, and the strain on a mom to pour herself into her daughter’s recovery without neglecting her other kids. Parts are sappy, but much of it rang true.
I have another 15 or so after these: wish me luck!
